Risk Factors for Insomnia

A risk factor is something that increases your likelihood of getting a disease or condition.

It is possible to develop
insomnia
with or without the risk factors listed below. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater your likelihood of developing insomnia. If you have a number of risk factors, ask your doctor what you can do to reduce your risk.

Insomnia is often the result of a behavior or a symptom of an underlying mental or physical problem. These behaviors and conditions increase your risk of having insomnia. They include:

Advanced Age

People over the age of 60-65 are more likely to have insomnia than younger people. Older people may be less likely to sleep soundly because of bodily changes related to aging and because they may have medical conditions that disturb sleep.

Chronic Disease

Chronic diseases and associated pain may increase risk of insomnia. Some conditions include:

Gender

Insomnia occurs more often in women than in men. Pregnancy and hormonal shifts can disturb sleep. Other hormonal changes, such as
premenstrual syndrome
(PMS) or
menopause
, can also can affect sleep.

Psychological Factors

Stress is considered by most sleep experts to be the number one cause of short-term sleeping difficulties. Common triggers include school- or job-related pressures, a family or marriage problem, or a serious illness or death in the family. Insomnia is also a common symptom of
anxiety
disorders,
bipolar disorder
, and
depression.

Lifestyle Behaviors

Habits and activities that you do during the day or night can interfere with getting a good night's sleep. These include:

Smoking or using other tobacco products

Drinking alcohol or beverages containing caffeine in the afternoon or evening

Exercising close to bedtime

Following an irregular morning and nighttime schedule

Working or doing other mentally intense activities right before or after getting into bed

Night Shift Work

Night shift work forces you to try to sleep when activities around you and your own biological rhythms signal you to be awake. Shift workers are more likely than are employees with regular, daytime hours to fall asleep on the job because of poor sleep quality.

Long-range Jet Travel

Jet lag is the inability to sleep as a result of crossing many time zones in a short period of time. This can disturb your biological rhythms and deprive you of good sleep until your body can adjust to the new time zone.

Poor Sleep Environment

A distracting sleep environment, such as a room that's too hot or cold, too noisy, or too brightly lit, can be a barrier to sound sleep. Interruptions from children or other family members can also disrupt sleep. Other influences may be the comfort and size of your bed and the habits of your sleep partner.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.